Confidence

[Rebbasser]

Looking through the threads I see a lot about particular baits and colors, but rarely see one about confidence, and truth be told bass fishing is all about confidence-in your bait, location, whatever. I have a handful of baits that I EXPECT to get a hit every time I throw it-I have confidence that bait will catch fish. All of us have a favorite lure or two. We throw them because they work.

But it can also be a trap. If that is all we throw we are really limiting ourselves. To be a better bass fisherman sometimes you have to force yourself out of your comfort zone and throw something different. For example, I threw a jig-n-pig literally for years and never had a hit, let alone catch a fish. But I knew they worked-there was too much evidence they did work. So, I kept throwing one. And then came one magical day when I threw one up on a brushpile, pulled it off and felt a thump. I set the hook and was rewarded with a 4-5 pound largemouth. I caught several more, and guess what? I started to develop confidence in it, and it is one of my go-to lures now. Same with crankbaits. I had caught a few on them, but never really used them consistently. A couple of summers ago I was fishing a bare rock bank and decided to throw a crawfish colored deep runner up shallow so it would dig into the bottom. 10 fish later I had confidence in that, too.

My point is once you have confidence in one type bait put it down and try another type. Expand your arsenal, and you will catch more fish and be a better fisherman.

And finally, if you think spray painting your worm sinkers flat black, using a fluorocarbon leader on braid, adding tailfeathers to a topwater or whatever will help you catch more fish, IT WILL!

Baits, colors, depths, line, weights, hooks, etc.-none of that really matters. What matters is the confidence you have in baits, colors, depths, line, weights, hooks, etc. Because if you have confidence when you go out that you will catch fish, guess what? You probably will!

[jooleyen]

Reb, I'm no expert yet, like I always say, but that is the most truthful statement. Even in my few fishing trips so far, I have realized that is 100% true.

[WIUbassin]

Thats some really great advice Reb... People forget that fishing is just as much a mental battle as it is physical(casting, reeling etc)

[Recon8541]

Reb,

Excellent advice. Not only does stepping out of our comfort zone teach us, it also expands that comfort zone.

Confidence is key. It is what keeps us fishing that bait at just the right tempo, even when its easy to start fishing faster and faster because the bite is slow.

It is what keep us concentrating on what the bait is doing, rather than letting our mind wonder because we dont expect to get bit.

Confidence is the best thing we can take to the water!!

[Raul]

Confidence and attitude, I positively KNOW without a doubt I WILL catch fish, it´s just a matter of finding out how many.

[mack]

this is one of the best posts ive seen on this forum. im a senko nut and thats mostly what i throw. this post makes me want to throw other lures. i have an example of this also.

one day i was hitting the pond and got my stuff all ready and when i get there, i realize i forgot to bring my senkos. all i had was a hair jig, a pack of grubs, and pack of craws. i tied the hair jig with a grub on the heaviest rod i had and threw it out there seeing if i could catch some active fish. an hour later i caught 2 fish and the bite stopped. i was feeling pretty confident. i took the grub off and put on a craw and started flipping and pitching and i caught 3 more. they were big or anything but it was a confidence booster. i caught fish on a lure i never even tried before.

[betursweetbass]

Amen brother Reb, I couldn't have put it any better. I too, watch and read the postings about this rod, that lure, and what color etc. and even though there are several ways to answer each question, when I do answer, I like to add something about one's confidence level being part of the process. There is plenty of ways to catch a bass, but without confidence in one's abilities, or approach, you're not going to have much success unless it's your lucky day, and from my experience, there are just not many lucky days out there for most of us basser's.
And speaking of experience, there's nothing that will help boost your confidence level faster, than getting out on the water and learning from each and every trip.

BET

[pig n jig]

Every cast I make , I am expecting to get a bite on that cast.It doesn't always happen, but even after hundreds of casts and no fish, I am just that much closer to finding them and catching them. Those who catch fish had to endure alot of fishing before they were able to catch fish,think positive and don't get discouraged.Fish often and learn what makes your catch ratio increase and learn something new every time out. P N J

[keithdog]

This is a great post Reb. It should be required reading for every new angler who joins here and starts asking about the best lure for catching bass, best color, and so on. What newbies really need to do is read up on seasonal fishing patterns, bass behavior and become familiar with the different types of baits, and they're specific funtion. Being able to match the right lure for the right situation is key. Once you know which baits work in which situation, having the confidence in the bait as a tool is so very important. Without that confidence, you loose concentration and anticipation of the strike. Without those two factors, you don't have a chance.

[zooker]

i probly try 100 differant baits a year. but i keep coming back to the same 20-30 baits year in and year out..i have vast experiance with these baits.and know that if i do my part the fish will do there part.. the trick is finding the right time,the right place,the right condition that they work..this is where a fishing log helps greatly..

my fishing log is very large and detailed..they inculde water temps, air temps, wind direction, water clarity,what excate bait,speed of retrive,color of bait.all this along with a gps mapping print out of where excatly.i use a new 3 ring binder every year..




zooker

[JB]

i set a goal last winter to try all the baits that I've collected but have never really gotten serious enough to stick a bass with. Yesteray was the virgin tour for the chatterbait, its an ok bait and am now more confident with its fish catching abilities and more importantly how I can use it, and whens the right time to use it.
Same deal on the swimbaits, I got one out yesterday and love the way it stands on its head as you rest it, I keep bugging this years beds and see
if a female will WHAM it!

[lizardsrule]

I have all the confidence in the world that I'm going fishing as much as I can rotfl. I keep reading a lot about all the different baits, and how this bait or that bait is killer. The fact that I could go out on any given day and catch bass on a Lizard tells you I have confidence in the bait. However there are days when other baits will prove more productive. So the monkey just keeps beating me up, and I keep buying more baits, and now I have confidence I can catch bass with just about everybait there is. One bait I haven't tried yet, but am going to sometime within the next week, is the Helicopter lure. Yes I found one in one of my dads old tackleboxes, and I plan on catching some fish with it. Why because IMO every bait out there, at some time or another can and will catch bass. The most confidence I have is that the bass have to eat, and they will eat anything that moves.

Lizards

[brushhog]

I agree 100% patience and confidence are usually more important than what you fish. I have a good friend,and pretty good fisherman, who one in a blue moon gets frustrated and starts bait searching. By that I mean he searchs all of his tackle to find something that will work... invariably his fish count goes down!

[zooker]

Originally Posted by brushhog

patience

what is this i don't have any.. it's power fishing down here hoss..


zooker

[Recon8541]

zooker im with ya....power fishing!! flip flip flip flip flip flip.

[brushhog]

[QUOTE=zooker;152113]what is this i don't have any.. it's power fishing down here hoss..


Patience is what I'm using right now as the snow keeps falling and the temp keeps dropping... Brushhog Jr. and i fished for two hours this morning luckless air temp 28 water 40 maybe... I'd give anything to fish power style with y'all!

[Vabass22]

Originally Posted by zooker

what is this i don't have any.. it's power fishing down here hoss..


zooker

Powerfishing, is great on the big waters the pros fish. If you fish waters like these regularly then you know this. But on the skinny waters like I fish, where many times 15 boats weigh in 0-5 fish, then patience(+ confidence)is key. I know a guy that must be 65, that is probably the best fisherman I know, and he is oh so patient. I have watched him, during march, work a pig-n-jig. He stood absolutley still, for about 2 minutes, then dragged it about 2 inches. After a couple of 15-20 minute retrieves, he set the hook on an 8+ pounder.

[betursweetbass]

Originally Posted by Vabass22

Powerfishing, is great on the big waters the pros fish. If you fish waters like these regularly then you know this. But on the skinny waters like I fish, where many times 15 boats weigh in 0-5 fish, then patience(+ confidence)is key. I know a guy that must be 65, that is probably the best fisherman I know, and he is oh so patient. I have watched him, during march, work a pig-n-jig. He stood absolutley still, for about 2 minutes, then dragged it about 2 inches. After a couple of 15-20 minute retrieves, he set the hook on an 8+ pounder.

You bring up a good point there buddy, there is alot to be said for being patient and taking your time. There are times when you just know the fish are in the area, and having patience and keeping your bait in the strike zone will pay off with a strike eventually.
Could be that the opposite approach might work too, if you consistantly flip a jig, over and over again into the same area, you just might annoy a bass enough to make him strike too!

I like to think I'm able to do it all, I know I can't really, but it don't stop me from thinking I can, the whole point is to "fish your way", whether it be power fishing, finesse fishing, zippin, rippin, crankin, whatever you want to call it, just do it with confidence or PMA.

BET

[dampeoples]

This topic needs to be a sticky

[zooker]

i never said i was moving alot.. i said power fishing was how ya get it done here..

if i get on a point i will fish the crap out of it. i like to do multipal passes with differant baits. over the same chunk of lake..

zooker

[patchino22]

Reb--I have been thinking the same exact thing as of late. So this past weekend, I dedicated my fishing time to trying new baits. Saturday I didnt get one bite all day....but I learned how to fish those baits. You have to get a feel for each bait you fish (how it swims, do you jig it, how it reacts, etc), you have to make that bait come alive. So I practiced all day Saturday (and got severely sun burned) and then on Sunday I was catching fish on 3 different types of baits. Practice makes perfect.....but it also BUILDS confidence. Thanks for the post.

[Vabass22]

Zooker, I (try) do the same thing bud. Just trying to say that every presentation has its time.

[OUTLAW]

I will catch a large Bass this weekend , I will ,OH YES I WILL.......

My confidence builder